Modern computing systems and mobile devices may provide various processing and computing capabilities. For example, mobile devices may provide users with Internet browsing, word processing, spreadsheets, synchronization of information (e.g., e-mail) with a desktop computer, and so forth. A typical mobile device includes a battery that delivers power to components within the mobile device. Also, the battery may provide power to devices attached to the mobile device. Connections with the devices attached to the mobile device may be provided through various interfaces. Such interfaces may provide media (e.g., conductive lines, wireless channels, etc.) for the transfer of information. Thunderbolt™ technology may be used to implement one example of such an interface. These interfaces, however, may be limited with respect to their power delivery capabilities.
Often, size and cost reductions are important design goals for devices. Accordingly, it may be desirable to reduce the cost and size of components that exchange information and power between attached devices and energy storage components. As a result, it may be desirable to adapt interfaces in a mobile computing device to accommodate information and power to reduce the need for multiple, separate interface components. Consequently, there exists a substantial need for techniques for serial interface charging.